Minicamp News and Notes

-First-round pick Kentwan Balmer will start off as the team’s right defensive end. Coach Mike Nolan said he wants to start the rookie off there and then move him to nose guard. Nolan said the techniques for all three defensive line positions are the same, so it shouldn’t be a huge transition for Balmer to move over the center when the time comes.

-Tight end Vernon Davis and linebacker Parys Haralson got into a throw-down during team drills. Davis got the best of Haralson catching him underneath the armpit with his arm after Haralson threw a punch. Davis then hurled Haralson to the ground with a resounding thud. “When he gets into a fight he can be very dangerous because he’s so strong,” Nolan said of Davis. “The other guy (Haralson) has good toughness, but he might want to pick (on) somebody else.”

–Alex Smith wasn’t limited at all during the first practice. He rotated in with Shaun Hill for most of the team and throwing drills. Smith says he can’t quite throw the long pass yet, but he looked crisp and fairly accurate with his passes. He made the pass of the day, a laser to wide receiver Isaac Bruce on a crossing route.

–Tully Banta-Cain is in much better shape from a year ago, when he reported at 290 pounds. He wouldn’t reveal his weight, but said he’s in playing shape right now. “At the start of the season, I want to be in the best shape of my life,” said the six-year veteran. On the roster, Banta-Cain is listed as 6-2, 280 pounds.

-Offensive players seem excited about the Mike Martz offense. Davis has been told he’ll be high-lighted. “I’m a pass-catcher first,” he said. During special teams practice, Davis worked on the sidelines, catching balls one-handed, something I’ve not seen him do before. Running backs and receivers will be challenged to learn the constant shifting, but most liked the offense. “There’s a lot of adjustment you do on the run,” receiver Ashley Lelie said. “It puts us in the offense on every play.”

-In the morning session, the offense didn’t look wide open. In fact, mostly quarterbacks checked the ball down in passing and team drills. “Typically, the defense always has the upper hand (in minicamps),” Nolan said. “The offense is always a little bit behind.”

-Nolan said not to read anything into the starting lineups. The only surprise was Jeff Ulbrich starting as the “Ted” linebacker and getting most of the repetitions over Brandon Moore and Dontarrious Thomas.

-In the past, Martz said quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan is in the mix for the starter’s job, and Nolan agreed Friday’s morning session. O’Sullivan didn’t get as many reps because the other quarterbacks are still learning the Martz offense. O’Sullivan threw the only interception in the team period. Linebacker Brandon Moore picked off his pass. At least in the morning session, Smith looked to have better zip on his passes than Shaun Hill, but if the 49ers have learned anything about Hill, it’s that he’s not a great practice player.

–David Baas is wearing a large sling on his right arm. He tore his pectoral tendon last week while bench-pressing 335 pounds. He said he tore his left pec tendon 10 years ago in high school bench pressing 225 pounds. “I would hate to think what would happen if I went to 445 pounds,” he joked. Baas said he knew he tore the tendon right away. Asked if it was painful, Baas said, “I was more pissed off than anything else.” Baas and Nolan said he should return to practice towards the end of training camp. Baas then said it will just be matter of re-capturing his strength. He doesn’t expect to lose his starting job because of the injury.

-Alex Smith followed Nolan to the post-practice media lectern, at which point Nolan hugged his quarterback. “We should hug around these guys,” Nolan said while catching Smith in an embrace. While the stunt was amusing, it does seem that vitriol from last season between coach and quarterback has dissipated.

-Smith did look more fundamentally sound and said that he’s trying to rid himself of bad throwing habits. He said that Martz is focusing on how he holds the ball, his eyes, his posture and footwork. “All that stuff is getting coached,” Smith said. Smith’s dad, Doug, a former high school football coach told Mike Silver of Yahoo that Alex was never taught the fundamentals since he’s been with the 49ers.

-Practice took place with NFL Films-type music in the background, adding a little bit of a bizarre twinge to the proceedings. “When you think about it, there’s never really a time in the game when it counts, where there’s silence,” Nolan said. The music might stay even through the season. “As we go forward, the key is getting the right volume,” Nolan said. One sideline observer said, “The music makes you feel like you’re watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.”